because of a miserable pig
by tropicpooch
Summary: Drabbles on Dark Knight Rises. First on Catwoman, then Alfred, then John Blake. New Chapter: take on Bruce Wayne and AU on Miranda Tate
1. kyle, pennyworth, blake

She blames his being stubborn. Who was he anyway? He is just a man, born able to enjoy the joviality of life, never having to look behind his shoulder every second of the day and worry about being mugged in his sleep. The city did not owe him anything, not anymore. Never did he owe this wretched and broken city anything. Was his being a dark knight all because of unresolved childhood problems? That is the most concrete explanation. All he has to do is to accept the fact that they are all doomed and the only thing they could possibly do is outrun the explosion. She offers him her company, he returns the gesture with a suicide mission; he is being unfair. She will not let him leave unpunished and unharmed by her, no, he deserves the pain she is about to inflict upon him. But first, she has to consider how Batman would respond to it, his alter-ego has not shown any aggression over females, whether they deserved it or not, but reflexes are not a thing to be toyed with. Second, she has to ready her stance, one swoop would do but that would be plain silly, after all, his butler was with them; she still has her feline pride. Oh, call this an act of love, but her ulterior motive was to be able to hurt him for hurting her and she will not be able to do that anymore if he dies. With one calculated motion, she cups the visible part of his face and tastes his mouth for the second time.

"_He'll be back,_" she involuntarily mused in her head. "_Oh, he'll be back._"

For a moment there, she swears to have seen a faint longing in his eyes. He is no different from most men, but he is the most broken and stupid and pigheaded.

* * *

He was in Florence, Tuscany when the news had reached him. Gotham was in a state of disorder that has finally attracted the attention of the US Government. News from Gotham usually did not reach as far as Tuscany, people outside Gotham only knew the place as the residence of the bachelor, now hermit, Bruce Wayne. It is not possible, even though he was fully aware that this would happen and this is why he left the manor, for him to have failed. He knows that he was in a post-depression stage, but he still wonders why it has taken him this long – eight years, for his emotional wounds to heal. Even with his threat of leaving the manor, he still continued to be difficult and stubborn. Again, he throws his life away for a city he could have saved with educated decisions and financial support. For the third time in his life, Alfred Pennyworth is at a state of despair and sadness, but this time, he was prepared, but the grief still choked him inside.

* * *

He grew up in an orphanage funded by the Wayne Foundation and everyday, they told stories of Bruce Wayne's wealth and his generosity. One day, Bruce Wayne visited their orphanage, sports car on tow and female escorts wrapped around him and in that instant, he knew exactly that this man was like him, broken and miserable, only Bruce Wayne was an extrovert and he an introvert. Bruce Wayne smiles radiantly in contrast to him who wears a dismal face. He knew and appreciated the spirit of this strong man, a man who wears the façade of a genius playboy millionaire when he is actually beaten inside. On that day, he strived to be like the man responsible for his current state. As gratitude to the kindness of the city to him, he enlisted in the police force, hoping to dig out information on the crusader and Bruce Wayne. When he did, he became hopeful that one day, he would work alongside the dark knight. He did not know then that he would play a huge role in the fate of his city.


	2. wayne, tate

No, he is not a vigilante; that would be an impertinent description of their police force. He would accept being called a caped crusader, but only that. The force can be constructive, with Gordon being the commissioner, managing the actions of deconstructive labor from several officials. He was thankful for people like Gordon, and now, he was pleased with this boy on his doorstep, asking him and believing in him to face the menace the city of Gotham is being subjected to. He liberates a smile; just this once, that moment deserved it. He watches the patrol car leave the manor grounds before he resolved to don his suit and saunter out in the field once more.

* * *

No, she was not yet dead and neither was her spirit. She lies on the truck's seat, waiting for the great explosion that would rid the world of Batman and his feline friend. She does not really care of the relationship between those two, what worries her is the child she now carries in her womb. Her father would have wanted her to settle with Bane, only she treated Bane with love given to a relative – a brother. He was her protector, doer of her every bid, never to endeavour anything not on her mandate. Just as the thoughts of this man pervaded her mind, the said man graced her with his presence. He is unharmed, except for the blood gushing out of his chest, nothing critical.

"I thought that female has rewarded you with death. It is a shame she left you in that shape. Are you alright?" she compels a smile to manifest on her hammering self, energy dissipated by the simple attempt to open her eyes. The crash has left her incapable of the slightest movements; it was a miracle she could still talk.

"The bat and the cat have escaped my grasp. Do not worry. It is impossible for him to escape the nuclear device. He will share the same fate as this city while we elude its detonation." he pronounced with his clear yet husky voice.

And with that, Talia al Ghul's vision begins to fail as her eyes wavers to sleep. She remembers being lifted from her seat and being carried but after that, her overall memory of the affair dithered and she was left with a child and her protector. She names the child Damian.


End file.
